Lawsuit filed against Chattanooga Police in November 2023 murder case

Lawrence Goodine in court.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Some Chattanooga police officers are at the center of a lawsuit following the suspected murder of a woman by a former officer.

Lawrence Goodine is awaiting trial on a first degree murder charge in the November 20-23 death of Kara Akins.

Akins’ daughter has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Goodine, the city of Chattanooga, and at least one unnamed Chattanooga Police Officer.

She accuses CPD of not enforcing a restraining order against Goodine nor taking his weapons.

The lawsuit goes on to accuse the police department of failing to respond to multiple incidents of harassment against Akins on numerous occasions, accusing Goodine of leveraging his past as a Chattanooga Police Officer to gain preferential treatment.

This the suit alleges, culminated in the kidnapping and murder of Akins, which video played during Goodine’s preliminary hearing showed Goodine forcing Akins into a home where she was found dead.

Goodine continues to be held in the Hamilton County Jail on a two point five million dollar bond, and his trial is expected to be next year.